The Alpha's Cinderella

Chapter 67

Damon

The sweat dripped down my face as Ryan and I sparred. I could feel my mind wandering, clouding my focus. Thoughts of Serena filled my head as the weight of her pleas from the previous night settled over me. No, I couldn’t just turn my back on everything. The only way for me to return to the way I was was to kill Romin and bring justice to my family.

Ryan called out my obvious distraction.

"You're off today, Damon. Mind's elsewhere. What's going on?" he asked, blocking one of my half-hearted jabs.

Frustration welled up within me as he continued to block my punches. "Nothing. Just... thinking," I replied. My irritation heightened with every misconnected punch I threw.

Ryan then caught my fist in the air, turning serious. “I cannot have you in training with yourself not even present here. I think we should end this session for today. Come back once you fix whatever has bothering you.”

I scowled but didn't protest. I felt the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air, but I chose to keep my thoughts to myself.

As I caught my breath, the entrance to the training area rustled, and Alexei appeared, his presence commanding attention. I raised an eyebrow, curious about the unexpected visit.

"Can we talk?" Alexei asked, his gaze flickering between me and Ryan. Ryan immediately took his leave.

I glanced at Alexei, my disinterest evident. He took a deep breath before speaking, "I came here to tell you I am leaving."

Surprisingly, a spark of interest ignited within me. "Leaving? Why?"

Alexei sighed, glancing towards the distant horizon. "I've got nothing left for me here. I'm heading back to Wolf Valley."

I nodded, surprising myself with a genuine wish for Alexei's well-being. The departure of a once-rival left an unexpected void in me.

“Good luck with everything,” I stated genuinely.

But just as we parted ways, Alexei exclaimed. "Hey, I almost forgot to tell you something.”

I tilted my head, intrigued. "What?"

He sighed, glancing towards the horizon. "Don't worry about Serena. Ashford's with her. He'll protect and take care of her."

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Serena. The air felt heavier as Alexei left without another word, leaving me with a sense of foreboding. Panic surged through me, and I sprinted back to our tent. There, I found our tent empty. I rushed to check on Serena’s things, only to realized the important things were gone. He only left a few clothes, the only reminder that I shared this place once with her.

Then, I caught the sight of a folded paper sitting on top of the bedside table. I unfolded it with trembling hands. Serena's elegant handwriting revealed her words.

"Damon,” The letter started. My heart hammered inside my heart as I continued to read a piece of her heart.

"By the time you read this letter, I might already be gone. The burden of our grief and profound losses has become unbearable, leading us to cope in different ways that tear us apart. I've decided to seek peace alone, and I ask that you not follow. This is not a farewell but a temporary parting. The thought of being separated from you pains me, yet I recognize the necessity for some time apart. I hope that through this, we can find our way back to each other and rediscover the love story we once shared.

I love you with all my heart.

Serena.”

Regret and sorrow washed over me. I cursed myself for not realizing the strain our grief had put on us. Serena had left to give us both a chance to breathe, to find ourselves again. Her last words echoed in my mind, a glimmer of hope that in time, we would see each other again, ready to love each other the way we vowed in the altar.

I clutched the letter, a newfound determination burning within me. Romin had taken enough from me, and I wouldn't let him take Serena too. I realized that the only way for me to return to the man Serena once loved was to finally bring Romin to justice.

With that, I went back to the training ground. A storm loomed on the horizon, mirroring the turmoil within. Thunder rumbled, and raindrops started to fall, the atmosphere thick with anticipation.

Just then, Ryan approached me. “Somebody came to see you, boss.”

”Who?” I asked as the raindrops wet my face.

“It’s the Head Council, Ed Whitmore,” Ryan replied.

Finally, some good news I’ve been waiting for a while.